Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if home-makers receive a credited contribution towards pension entitlement or merely are allowed disregard the years for averaging purposes where they are caring full-time for a qualifying child or incapacitated adult. [37474/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The home-maker's scheme was introduced in 1994 to assist those who work in the home to qualify for an old age contributory pension. From 6 April 1994, periods of time spent out of the workforce, including self employment, caring either for children aged up to six years or incapacitated people are disregarded when calculating a person's pension entitlements. The Social Welfare Act 1996 extended the home-maker provisions by increasing the age of children being cared for from six to 12 years. Under existing provisions for old age contributory pension, up to 20 years home-making can be disregarded in calculating the yearly average test for pension purposes.